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27.11.06

Hk Firms Snub Clean Air Initiative

Monday 27 November 2006TODAY

Just 100 companies out of tens of thousands agree to cut emissions

HONG KONG - Hong Kong's businesses are snubbing an initiative to help easethe city's worsening air pollution, a report said yesterday, amid reportsthat chronic smog is hurting business and health.

Just 100 Hong Kong firms out of tens of thousands have signed up to aprotocol aimed at cutting emissions from factories in southern China.

Most of Hong Kong's pollution comes from the region'sheavily-industrialised southern Pearl River Delta and most of those areowned by companies based in the wealthy former British colony.

The initiative put forward by the local General Chamber of Commercecompels signatories to adopt international emissions standards - which aremuch lower than the often-antiquated factories and power plants of Chinaare capable of matching.

The move had been backed by the Hong Kong government as a step towardscombating pollution, which has become a highly- emotive political issue asair quality has worsened in the past few years.

"We are disappointed by the cool response," the source was quoted assaying. "When we are talking about how to clean up the sky, many companiesand big bosses do not even bother to sign a piece of paper," the sourceadded.

"There is a lack of social responsibility among the business sector."

The report said the revelations were likely to embarrass political leaderDonald Tsang, whose government claims to be doing all it can to battlepollution.

His reputation is likely to be harmed by the fact that many of hisgovernment ministers are among factory owners who have not signed up, thereport said.

Government estimates said that more than 50 days last year sufferedvisibility of lower than a kilometre as a result of the smog.Environmentalists say the figure is too conservative and cite tests at theairport which found smog reduced visibility on more than 100 days of theyear.

Such is the concern over pollution that many business groups and even asenior government Cabinet member warning that the poor air was deterringforeign businesses from setting up shop here because they could not findexecutives willing to settle in such unhealthy conditions.

The tourism industry has also warned that the air is causing concern amongvisitors.

Despite government pledges to tackle the problem in tandem withauthorities in China, there is a perception that Hong Kong is too weak tomake a difference with Chinese leaders unwilling to do anything that maystall its economic expansion. - AFP